Menu

Documenting saves one post at a time

Monthly Archives: March 2017

“When we pulled up we had three people straddling the window sill. Firefighter Christian Nielsen and I agreed that setting up a portable ladder was the quickest route into the apartment, so I grabbed the 35-foot ladder off the rig and got it in place. I calmed the patients down, and helped them climb down the ladder one at a time,” says FDNY Firefighter Timothy Brunton, Ladder 157, who along with Lieutenant Bryan Cowan, Firefighters Patrick Rooney, and Brandon Weekes performed multiple simultaneous rescues at different locations in the fire building yesterday at East 26 Street in Brooklyn. Firefighter Rooney says, “The public hallway on the third floor was blacked out with smoke. I crawled down the hallway to find the fire apartment and immediately encountered two patients. I transmitted a 10-45 (a signal that is given immediately upon the discovery of a patient with fire-related injuries) and Lieutenant Cowan and Firefighter Weekes carried both patients downstairs to the lobby, where they received medical attention. I continued to make my way down and into the fire apartment to locate the fire. The Engine made their way up with the line very quickly and they were able to advance in and knock the fire down.” The patients were transported to local hospitals. Fire Marshals determined that the fire was accidental, caused by electrical outlet failure.

On March 26 at 2:30 AM, the Las Cruces Fire Department, New Mexico responded to a single-wide mobile home fire with confirmed entrapment. The occupants of the home were awakened to the smell of smoke and encountered heavy fire in the hall outside their bedroom door. Two adults and an infant were able to escape out a window. Their three year old boy remained trapped in his bedroom. The father’s attempts to rescue him were unsuccessful because of the conditions.

The first arriving engine company reported heavy fire engulfing 40% of the mobile home. Firefighters performed a VES of the boys bedroom and removed him. He was unresponsive and efforts to revive him on scene were unsuccessful.

Post navigation

This iconic photo of a life saved tells us that we need to be ready when that moment comes. Saving lives is the most important work a firefighter will do. In this rescue there are many others seen and unseen who assisted in it's success. Let us know your story, that moment when you were ready and saved a life.